“Get ready in 3.. 2..1.. FIRE!” -Progodlegend YC 117, GGE-5Q
THE STAGE
On January 10, in the system of GGE-5Q, Test Alliance Please Ignore (TEST) and their allies engaged Triumvirate (TRI) over a TEST-owned R64 POS reinforcement timer. The engagement is only part of TEST’s current campaign, and both sides have been fielding multiple CTA and strategic operations fleets. This time, however, the stakes were much higher. Pandemic Legion was also seen on the field, and was originally thought to be supporting the TRI fleet. The situation quickly changed for TRI, as PL turned their guns on the TRI Rattlesnakes.
THE FLEETS
With over one hundred pilots logged on in Triumvirate staging, Progodlegend (an ex-Nulli Secundafleet commander, but now a senior FC for TEST) formed up his forces in an alpha Maelstrom fleet with firewalling Lokis and Rattlesnakes supported by triage carriers. This type of doctrine is intended to counter TRI’s RHML-fit Rattlesnake fleet.
Pandemic Legion, having recently deployed to Curse, was in jump range of the brawl, forming up a Proteus and Legion fleet with command destroyer support. The command destroyers would play an exciting role during the fight.
THE FIGHT
Some minutes before the tower came out of reinforced mode, TEST bridged into a nearby system and went for GGE-5Q. TEST jumped into GGE-5Q, and set up a defensive formation with bubbles. Shortly afterwards, Triumvirate bridged into the system, entering warp towards the TEST R64. TEST dropped four triage Chimeras to repair the tower and assist main fleet logistics, and as TRI landed, the both fleets immediately began engaging each other. Progodlegend, having decided that TEST had enough alpha to volley rattlesnakes off the field, ordered his fleet to split guns into two groups of four. As TRI logistics ships could not repair the Rattlesnakes being alpha’d off the field, they pulled out of range and retreated to a perch. PL took the opportunity to bridge into the system, warping directly to the TRI Rattlesnake fleet.
TRI was not alarmed at first, as PL had ‘promised’ to help the outnumbered alliance take the TEST R64. However, as PL ships left warp, the Proteus fleet guns turned on TRI, killing more of the faction battleships. Seeing that they would get no help from PL, the few Triumvirate ships that could escape decided to take up a position on the tower along with TEST.
During this lull while PL and TRI fought, TEST triage Chimeras were able to save the tower by repairing the shields to above 51%, allowing it to be refilled with strontium. After the R64 was saved, PL warped off the field, allowing TRI Rattlesnakes to get out. TEST remained on grid determined to hold the field. PL then returned to a perch and positioned their three command destroyers for a jump.
Up to this point, TEST had been in a ball around PGL, making a perfect target for the PL command destroyers. They lined up 200km off and executed a perfect micro-jump drive chain, catapulting Progodlegend 100 km away from TEST logistics. PL quickly warped to him to finish the headshot, and with him taking damage quickly, all seemed lost for the TEST FC. By some stroke of luck, the FC caught reps at 10% shield.
Eager to return the headshot, the TEST FC ordered Maelstroms to lock up the enemy FC Ipsimus in his Damnation.
“3…2…1… FIRE!”
The Damnation was gone in the blink of an eye, along with a Devoter belonging to DogOfWarr. With their FC headshot, PL disengaged, and after ensuring the triage carriers could jump out safely, TEST also returned home.
THE COST
In the end, TEST hailed victory over the ISK war and the strategic objective, saving the R64 for another day. TEST alliance lost seventeen of the one hundred Maelstroms in fleet for a total of 7.02 billion ISK lost, while TRI and friends took 24.25 billion ISK in damages. Of TRI’s seventy-four Rattlesnakes, only twenty-three survived the engagement. Pandemic Legion came out nearly unscathed, only losing Ipsimus’ Damnation, the Devoter, a Proteus and a Loki for a total ISK lost of 1.67B.
Another video of the fight can be seen here and includes TEST communications (Video of the fight starts at 3:41):
Update: The original text of the article referenced Progodlegend, of Nulli Secunda fame, as ‘ex-NC’, as well as several other minor errors. This has been corrected.
This article originally appeared on TheMittani.com, written by Lemba.
